The present invention relates to a connector equipped with a rear holder which is closably coupled with a housing through a thin hinge belt, a rear holder device for automatically mounting the rear holder in the hosing, and a method of mounting the rear holder.
A previously known connector equipped with a rear holder is proposed in J-UM-Publn. 2-49656 and shown in FIGS. 8A-8C. FIG. 8A is a side sectional view; FIG. 8B is a front view and FIG. 8C is a side view of the main part.
In these drawings, within a housing 110, two (upper and lower) stages of terminal chambers 111 each for accommodating a terminal 130 are provided. Within each terminal chamber 111, a terminal securing arm 112 for securing the terminal 130 is provided.
A rear holder 120 is closably coupled with the housing 110 through a thin hinge belt 113.
A stopper 121 is formed on the lower side of the tip of the rear holder. The stopper 120 is provided for doubly securing the terminal 130 within the terminal chamber 111. An engaging portion 122 is formed on the upper side of the tip. The engaging portion 122 serves to mount the rear holder 120 in the housing 120.
In the above connector equipped with a rear holder, with the rear holder 120 being in a free state, the terminal 130 with an electric wire crimped is inserted into each terminal chamber 130 of the housing 110. Then, the terminal 130 is secured in each terminal chamber 111 by the terminal securing arm.
Thereafter, when the rear holder 120 is mounted in the housing 110, the terminal 130 is doubly secured within each terminal chamber 111.
The above related art connector equipped with the rear holder has the following disadvantage. The rear holder, which is in a free state before the rear holder 120 is mounted in the housing 110, may obstruct the working step prior to mounting the rear holder, such as insertion of the terminal 130 equipped with an electric wire.
The electric wire may be caught on the rear holder in the free state. This may lead to deformation and damage in the rear holder 120.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a connector equipped with a rear holder, which can smoothly carry out the working steps prior to mounting a rear holder, surely prevent deformation and breakage of the rear holder and permits the rear holder to be easily mounted in the housing.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a rear holder mounting device having such capability.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a method of mounting the rear holder having the above capability.
In order to attain the first object, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a connector equipped with a rear holder comprising: a thin hinge belt for closably coupling the rear holder with a housing; and a fixing belt for coupling the rear holder with the said housing in its open state, the fixing belt being formed integrally to the rear holder and housing.
In this configuration, before the fixing belt is cut, i.e., the rear holder is mounted, the rear holder can be held in an opened state and hence is not an obstacle. For this reason, the respective working steps prior to mounting the rear holder can be smoothly executed.
During each working step, the electric wire is not caught by the rear holder so that the rear holder is surely prevented from being damaged and deformed.
In order to attain the second object, there is provided a device for mounting the rear holder in the connector in the connector equipped with a rear holder comprising: a cutter body equipped with a cutting blade which can be inserted in between the rear holder in an open state and said housing; and a pair of frames holding both sides of said connector so that the rear holder is closable and having guide grooves which serve to position the cutting blade on the fixing belt of the connector held at a holding position, and guide the cutter retractably for the connector.
Preferably, the device for mounting the rear holder further comprises a slide bar provided slidably on the cutter body and having a guide slope to be brought into contact with said rear holder.
In such a configuration, with the rear holder held on the one side of the guide grooves of the frames, the cutter body is advanced toward the rear holder form the other end of the guide grooves so that the fixing belt can be easily cut. In addition, at the same time as the fixing belt is cut, the rear holder is placed in a free state, and hence can be mounted in the housing.
In order to attain the third object, in the rear holder mounting device, there is provided a method for mounting a rear holder in a connector in the device for mounting the rear holder in the connector comprising the steps of: holding the connector in the grooves and attaching the cutter body to the grooves; advancing the cutter body along the guide grooves to cut the fixing belt of the connector equipped with the rear holder; advancing the slide bar to rotate the rear holder in its closing direction; and closing the rear holder to be engaged in said housing.
In such a configuration, after the fixing belt is cut, the rear holder can be rotated in a closing direction, preferably using the guiding slope of the slide bar. For this reason, it can be mounted simply in the housing.
The above and other objects and features of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accoppanying drawings.